Ng Poon Chew

Ng Poon Chew (Chinese: 伍盤照; pinyin: Wǔ Pánzhào, March 14, 1866 March 13, 1931) was an author, publisher, and advocate for Chinese American civil rights. He published the first Chinese language daily newspaper to be printed outside of China.[1]

Ng Poon Chew, from a 1920 publication.

Born in the Toisan district of Guangdong province in Southern China, Ng moved to California in 1881, where he first worked as a domestic servant on a ranch. He became a student of U.S. culture, studying English, adopting Western dress, and converting to Christianity. He joined the seminary[2] and in 1892 became the first Chinese Presbyterian Minister on the American West Coast.[3] He was assigned to a ministry in Los Angeles, but after a fire destroyed his mission, he decided to focus his efforts on establishing a Chinese language newspaper instead. After a year of publishing his L.A.-based weekly, Hua Mei Sun Bo, Ng moved to San Francisco where he wrote the first Chinese language daily outside of China: Chung Sai Yat Pao.[4] His newspaper generally promoted an assimilationist viewpoint, encouraging Chinese American readers to adapt to North American values.[5]

Ng traveled the country speaking out against anti-Chinese legislation,[6] such as the Chinese Exclusion Act. He also published books[7] and pamphlets[8] opposing discrimination against Chinese Americans.

Ng was adviser to the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco from 1906 to 1913 and vice-consul for China from 1913 until 1931.[9]

He was called "an Oriental Mark Twain".[10]

See also

  • King Lan Chew, Ng Poon Chew's youngest daughter, a dancer.
  • John P. Irish, supported Chinese immigration. Ng Poon Chew was an honorary pallbearer at his funeral.
  • Samantha Knox Condit, Presbyterian missionary in San Francisco. Ng Poon Chew was an assisting pastor at her funeral.

Notes

  1. Franklin Ng, "Ng Poon Chew," in Kim, Hyung-chan (1999). Distinguished Asian Americans: A Biographical Dictionary. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313289026. pp. 56-59
  2. San Francisco Genealogy sfgenealogy.com
  3. Ng Poon Chew Biographical Notes inn-california.com
  4. Guide to the Chung Sai Yat Po Newspaper Collection Online Archive of California (oac.cdlib.org)
  5. Being Chinese book review historycooperative.org
  6. A Historian's Reflections on Chinese American Life in San Francisco calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu
  7. A Statement for Non-Exclusion books.google.com
  8. The Treatment of the Exempt Classes of Chinese in the United States calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu
  9. Vice-consul
  10. Promotional Flyer sdrcdata.lib.uiowa.edu/libsdrc
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